Cultivation of Flax in Belgium. 171 



About Tournai an acre costs 8/,, and in general an acre of 

 what is called " lin rame " (fastened to sticks), costs, everything 

 included, from 14/. to 14Z. 5^. 



Rotation of Crops. — Formerly the flax-crop was only taken 

 every fifteen to twenty years : there is now a great diversity of 

 opinion on the necessity of so long an interval. In many places 

 it has been reduced by half, and a crop is taken every seven 

 years. Rapid succession deteriorates the quality of the fibre, 

 which is generally considered to be not so good now as it used 

 to be. The lands of Wynkel St, Eloi, near Courtrai, which Avere 

 overworked during the Empire, produced no good flax for thirty 

 years, nor have they yet recovered their former value. 



In the Western Flanders the rotation varies from five to ten 

 years ; Eastern Flanders, five to nine ; Brabant, five to eight ; 

 and Hainault, seven to twenty years. 



In Belgium there are two sowings of flax, the early and the 

 late, the former between the end of March and the 10th of April, 

 and the latter from the 15th of April to the end of May. 



The flax-growers consider that the early crop produces the 

 ■finest quality of flax, the late crop being good only for coarse 

 tissues, &c. Much depends naturally on the weather and the 

 quality of the soil. 



The seed is sown thick, if fibre is the object; but thin, to 

 produce seed ; 13 stone per acre is a common amount. In 

 Belgium fibre is the principal object, and if not closely planted, 

 the flax loses its fineness and the stalks are " branchy." 



In the Western Flanders it is generally sown alone ; in the 

 Eastern Flanders with carrots and clover. Flax sown in soft 

 calm weather appears above ground in about a week or ten days ; 

 it is then carefully weeded by women. As soon as each plant 

 has received 1205 degrees of heat after germination, they begin 

 to bear flowers, and are supported by small sticks to prevent the 

 crop being laid. The process of weeding costs from 19^. to 28^. 

 per acre. 



The process of gathering is the same throughout the whole 

 of Belgium. When the plants are standing they are seized by 

 handfuls, care being taken not to entangle the stalks : if lodged, 

 they are gathered carefully and shaken so as to separate the tops, 

 then made into bundles, which are set up in " schocks.' After 

 ten or fourteen days of fine weather they are made into fresh 

 bundles, containing 10 to 14 lbs. each, and stowed in barns or 

 sheds. 



An acre of flax gives from 24 to 70 cwt. of stems, containing 

 from 12 to 18 per cent, of fibrous substance, and producing from 

 3 to 6 J cwt. of filament fibre. 



The cultivation of flax and hemp occupies in the two Flanders, 



